Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1793343
RichM wrote:However, they did say that the notes/hours logged prior to September 2016 don't count for anything now. Essentially implying I'd need to start all over again in terms of hours at least. Is this true?

I know rules change, so I cannot comment on the validity of any hours previously flown, but one thing I do know is that if you have been taught to fly in the past, this is a skill you dont forget. You just become rusty at it, like any other motor skill. I did an RAF flying scholarship, then some University flying. Govt policy and life ( ie lack of money!! ) then got in the way for a few years, and 10 years after I first went solo I got my PPL. Luckily, my school got the records from my flying scholarship and those hours apparently still counted. So having not touched a stick or throttle for 5 years, though I had to do all the written exams, it took only 20 hrs further training to get my PPL.

As others have said, go to your new school with your logbook and tell them everything. Get them to chase your records. Any decent instructor that flies with you will be able to tell that you have flown before if you progressed further than just a half dozen lessons. Im pretty sure after 4 years you will have to do the written exams again. I would be very surprised if any training hours flown in the last 5 years didnt count, but look on that as a bonus - at the end of the day, you will need as many hours as it takes to get your PPL, that could be the minimum of 45, it could be 100.

Good luck, SD..
#1793797
Training hours before 2012 do not count . All flown since then do count .
We normally pass direct to the new scholl when requested by new school , copies of the training file . The original training file stays with the original school .
I do not know of legality of studes directly having copies of file . They have a right to see them .
All 9 Ground exams have to completed within 18 months . From the date of last ground exam , licence has to be issued within 2 yrs to the day .
Off the top of my head [ very grey ] the CEP [ custodian of exam papers ] has to keep all completed exams for 44 months [ I think ] . They do not get passed to new school , but on new schools request the licence application form [ SRG 1105A ] page relevant to exams is filled in and certified by old school and sent direct to new school [ for exams taken thus far ] .
skydriller liked this
#1793971
A few years ago, my club's school was cleaning up a bit of the old paperwork. My lesson notes, from 2003-2004, didn't have to be saved anymore, so the CFI gave them to me. On one of the lessons, my FI had written the comment "Went well......in the end." :lol: I can confirm that that's probably a fair assessment on many of my lessons.
Flyin'Dutch' liked this
#1853399
Just bumping this up. Has anyone else here had any success with GDPR requests for records?

My first school isn't responding to requests from both myself and my new school for my student record. Have asked my old FI if he can have a word but guessing it's not really his remit.

I don't want to sully the relationship with the school but... how long would you leave it before putting in a GDPR request and do they actually have any teeth?
By Fellsteruk
#1853501
It’s a massive shame and I suspect they won’t be around for long with an attitude like that but given they ain’t answering you I stand by my advice.

Write to them or email them detailing you wish to exercise your legal right under GDPR to a subject access request “SAR” and detail exactly what Information you need.

From the date they get this they have 30days to comply, they can extend this but have to tell you they are doing this when they get the request.

My advice send it recorded mail so you have proof when it was sent and that it was received be sure to include a copy of some ID.

If you do not get a reply within 30 days you’ll be able to raise a complaint With the ICO on the grounds they have broken data protection law, at this point I’d also be submitting a complaint to the CAA about them.

I know you don’t want to upset anyone but at what point do you realise your getting nowhere and need to take a more aggressive route.

You’ve wanted far longer than I would have before going nuclear.

Don’t forget pestering them on every social channel they are active in posting on any and every posts they make or their student make, they ban you? Creat another and another if you become a pain in their ### they will soon give you want you want if only to get rid of you.

Give it to them!!!

Have you looked them up on company house? Do they have any directors if so you’ll find them and maybe their home address if so contact them.

Which airfield are they at, sorry I forget? I’d complain to the operator that one of their tenants/operators are up to soft business ....

You need to mount the pressure in any way you can u til you get what you want!
Flyin'Dutch' liked this
By Fellsteruk
#1853531
JAFO wrote:@Fellsteruk - to me, what you're suggesting sounds more like harassment than applying pressure.



“Harassment” That’s for a court to decide upon...

At the end of the day in this digital age, providing your polite and professional there is nothing wrong with a consumer doing everything they can to get a business to acknowledge their valid issue.

I ain’t suggesting you go and stalk them sitting outside their house or send them boxes of dog poop.

Difference of opinion maybe but using all available public information about a business your struggling with to get what you need, nah, entitled too is an astute consumer.

Big or small if I don’t get what I need from a company and have a complaint you can bet every exec or non exec director will have an email from me not to mention any heads of service or operations on LinkedIn getting daily messages asking for help.

Maybe I’m extreme... but I’m always polite, never rude or abusive and to date it’s worked for me every time, sure it’s a lot of effort and time but if the outcome is worth the effort why not?
JAFO liked this
#1853552
It’s no biggie at the moment, not in a rush and I might try giving them one last call tomorrow, but I am a little concerned that if the school disappears my grand’s worth of logged time will go with it.

That’s great info @Fellsteruk and @Flyin'Dutch' thank you!! Yeah it’s a right shame - and really needless. We parted on good terms mostly due to the distance of the airport from home.
#1853567
That would be my approach. I'd go get what is mine. :thumright:

Used to do it on the odd occasion I didn't get paid. Any resistance from staff was dealt with by asking them how they would feel if they worked all month and didn't paid. Even if it didn't get them totally onside it usually stopped them in their tracks with empty excuses.

Don't be shy, get yersel around there. :thumright: